Power of Children: Kaylee Shirrell

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (WISH) - A Brownsburg teen turned a simple gift into a labor of love for cancer patients.

Power of Children winner Kaylee Shirrell told 24-Hour News 8 her grandmother’s battle became the inspiration behind “Hats of Hope.”

"Really started after my grandma was going through chemo and she lost her hair and she would tell me that her head was always cold so I made her a hat and then I realized a need for a project like this," explained Kaylee Shirrell.

Kaylee didn't know how to knit until she received a loom from her friend, Emily but making hats became costly.

"Obviously for funding I needed money, so I wrote letters to Brownsburg West Middle School staff and I got money donated from that and then an art teacher at West wrote me a letter and said she thought it would be a really good project for her kids."

Suzanne Whitton, a Brownsburg West Middle School teacher said, "My students work a lot with Learn and Serve Indiana so we do a lot of service projects and this fit right in line with service learning."

It's only been a year since Kaylee's project got off the ground but hundreds of volunteers have made well over a 1,000 hats.

"She has set the stage for my students in my classroom to see what they can do when they're in high school as well," said Whitton.

Kaylee gives out starter kits to interested groups complete with knitting tools, yarn, instructions, even a how-to DVD.

Jo Koenig, who nominated Kaylee said, "Since I teach business classes, we talk about entrepreneurship and a lot of entrepreneurs are in business for profit and I use Kaylee as an example as a social entrepreneur that, you know, you don't have to have a lot of money to see a need and really make a difference."

The hats are donated to area hospitals such as St. Vincent, Hendricks Regional, Wishard, IU Simon Cancer Center, even Riley Hospital for Children.

Kaylee is a senior at Brownsburg High School. She fosters her project while juggling marching band and Girl Scouts.

She wants to study forensic science after graduation.

Kaylee Shirrell warming the hearts and heads of cancer patients, that's the Power of Children.